Kurdish forces push back ISIL position in Iraq

Kurdish forces have carried out a successful operation in Qarqash against ISIL in Iraq. This may be a turning point in the fight against the terrorist group in the region. CCTV's Michal Bardavid reports.

Qarqash, Iraq is yet another front line where Peshmerga fighters, together with the U.S.-led coalition, have carried out a crucial mission against ISIL.

ISIL did not back off easy. Fighting was intense, and Kurdish Commander Jabar emphasized that ISIL did not respect basic rules of war.

“Certainly, ISIL members always want to use civilians as shields, and they do not care about humanity, they have no conscience,” Jabar said. “But we as Peshmargas, have always been respecting humanity, and we follow the rules of war that were mentioned in Geneva agreements in the years of 1949 including the four agreements.”

This mission was also vital for the people of Erbil, as it is only half an hour away from the city.

As the fighting came to an end, Peshmergas tried to clear the area of mines left behind by ISIL. Meanwhile Peshmerga soldiers remain – determined to fight the war until the end.

The operation was victorious and a critical one in the area located just east of Mosul, the last major city ISIL controls in the region. The liberation of these villages gets Peshmergas one step closer to their ultimate goal of defeating ISIL in Iraq.